New set of graphic cigarette warnings reconsidered

The Conservative government signalled Tuesday it will be
announcing a new set of picture warnings for cigarette packages in the new year.

The development comes just days after Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq refused
to commit to unveiling bigger, more graphic warnings on the panel of cigarette
packages, saying only she will unveil an anti-smoking communications strategy
within weeks that may include new health warnings.

She made those comments after a rough day of testimony at the House of
Commons health committee, looking into why the Conservative government had
apparently shelved a long-running plan — first conceived in 2004 and almost
unveiled earlier this year — to force tobacco companies to update health
warnings to cover 75 per cent of the panel. Currently, the warnings must cover
half the pack, a requirement introduced in 2001.

On Tuesday, Conservative MPs on the committee joined Aglukkaq’s
parliamentary secretary, Colin Carrie, to support a motion recommending that
the health minister announce a new set of warnings. The NDP and the Bloc
Quebecois, who have accused the government of listening to the tobacco lobby,
also supported the Liberal motion.

The Tory MPs, however, voted against a second Liberal motion that spelled
out in greater detail how the government should amend the tobacco products
regulations. The motion by Liberal health critic Ujjal Dosanjh asked for
refreshed picture-based health warnings that would cover at least 75 per cent
of the surface of cigarette packs. The motion also called for a national toll-
free quit line and new warnings and information messages on the inside of packs.

Anti-smoking advocate Cynthia Callard of the Physicians for a Smoke-Free
Canada called Tuesday’s development a “step forward,” but expressed concern
over the size of the new warnings. “I think the size is in peril,” said
Callard, referring to Health Canada’s plan in September 2009 to increase the
health warnings to 75 per cent.

Rob Cunningham, a senior policy analyst for the Canadian Cancer Society,
added: “Size is extremely important to the effectiveness. The larger the size,
the greater the impact. Health Canada has done some excellent research, it’s a
matter of public record.”

According to Health Canada documents tabled with the parliamentary committee,
the department had spent more than $3.6 million on public-opinion research and
other related costs to develop the new labels and to set up a national quit
line to appear on cigarette packs.

The research, carried out between 2005 and 2009, all showed the old graphics
were becoming less effective with Canadian smokers and that larger, more
graphic images were needed to curb smoking. The warnings were first introduced
in 2001 to cover 50 per cent of the pack.

The House of Commons also heard from Nova Scotia’s chief public health
officer last week. He joined anti-smoking advocates to express bewilderment
about how the process got off the rails earlier this year so the December 2010
target for the new labels and quit line could not be met.

“Provincial and territorial governments remain puzzled as to why the
initiative to renew health warnings was stopped at the last minute with no
consultation. The background work on this initiative . . . had been completed,
and there was no hint of concern or reluctance on the part of Health Canada
officials as that work progressed,” testified Dr. Robert Strang, of Nova
Scotia’s Department of Health Promotion and Protection.

“One has to wonder what role the tobacco industry played in the decision to
not move ahead with the renewal of health warning labels on tobacco packages.
After all, their historic tactics are delay, distract and distort.”

Tobacco companies have long argued the government should be spending its
resources on combating contraband tobacco.